Wag More – Bark Less

I lay on the red couch in my living room, my head on the tan pillows. Tears streamed silently down my face. I couldn’t feel my arms, I was so numb. I could hear my husband, Chuck, happily singing in the kitchen. I heard him start the dishwasher and come towards the living room and so I quickly wiped my face. I hadn’t worn any makeup that day, so I was safe from Alice Cooper eyes or smeared lipstick down my chin. Nonetheless, when you are married to your best friend who pretty much intuitively feels your moods without words, not even a mask can cover up the sad aura. I thought of the saying that we often think that the caged bird is singing, when it is really crying and I wondered why I was still hiding from my true self.

“Stop it,” he gently scolded me. “You are way too sensitive,” he said shaking his head. “You need to be more like me and say @#$#@$@$.

You are way too sensitive. Those words were like gasoline on an already blazing inferno. Those words were constantly used growing up, in school, in my corporate world, with boyfriends and with an ex-husband. I had decided long ago that my being too sensitive was exactly who I was and not a disease or a negative fault.

“He called me fat, Chuck. And then called me a liar. You were there. You heard him. And now you are going to call me too sensitive?”

That morning I had gone to the doctor because I couldn’t lift my knee after a paranormal weekend at the Ohio State Reformatory. His diagnosis for me was being fat. You can see my video on it here. And so even if I wasn’t too sensitive, I think I would’ve been sensitive. But no matter, I was devastated and everything after that put me in a funk. I text messaged girlfriends who didn’t seem to offer much sympathy. I whined on Facebook and received loving support, but it still did no good because my pride was bruised and now my sensitivity bone was spinning like the Price is Right wheel to numb, to mad, to sad and everything in between. Too sensitive? Hmph.

Highly sensitivity is a normal trait, but often misunderstood and sometimes misdiagnosed. Those who are sensitive are often called dreamers and/or a cry babies, but within the last ten years the empath trait is becoming much more known and understood, even in the science community.

Are you Sensitive?

You get hurt easily.

You get stressed out easily.

You get emotional easily.

You give in more easily.

You feel lonely even when surrounded by people.

You are detail oriented.

Often artistic or musically inclined.

Very intuitive.

Labeled as shy growing up.

Love animals and children.

Drawn to color.

You don’t do well with crowds.

“Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.” ~Bob Marley.

Zodiac Signs Considered Most Sensitive

Cancer

Pisces

Scorpio

Leo

Virgo

Aries

You don’t have to change, just learn how to deal the best way for you.

Tips to Help

Write or Journal

Don’t avoid. Be careful of going to the passive aggressive place.

Friends. Look around to see who gets you. Remove those who belittle or bully you.

Feel it. Cry if you want. Scream if you must.

Sleep. Your bedroom is an oasis for sensitive. Decorating it in soft colors, without clutter helps.

Take breaks or mini-vacations.

Exercise. Yoga, Pilates, dance seem to work best for sensitive’s.

Shop – but within your means.

Embrace all of your senses.

Massage re-invigorates you.

Crystals absorb the excess energy.

Baths or showers. Water washes away the excess energy.

Chuck realized what he said was not at all sympathetic and he did feel bad. In the meantime, I inundated myself with sappy movies, and sappy videos like this one (double amputee Marine) and this one (96 year old man write song for late wife), that made me cry and get it out. And so as I moped, my three legged orange kitty Archie (Captain Samuel Archibold Robinett of the 7 Seas) climbed up in my lap. Just a couple weeks ago he had to have most all of his leg amputated and then got another infection that required him to have the cone of shame on. He sat there looking up at me with his golden eyes and just wagged his tail. And it was then that I got it. Stop barking (or meowing) and start wagging, embrace my tears, my sensitivity and me.

So if someone calls you too sensitive, say thank you. It is just another quality that you have just like your eye color.